Report: Apple compensates Beijing store punch-up victim
A new report claims Apple has compensated a customer who was injured as part of a fight that happened outside of Apple's flagship retail store in Beijing over iPad 2 units.
Apple has reportedly compensated a customer who was injured outside the company's flagship store in Beijing during a fight that broke out this past weekend over the newly released iPad 2 and white iPhone 4.
That fight, which took place on Saturday, stemmed from customers trying to get a hold of the devices, with some being accused of cutting into the line that had formed. As a result, the door of Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing was smashed, and the store closed earlier than usual.
In a report published today, the Global Times interviewed Ding Wencheng, who was injured during the altercation. Wencheng told the outlet he was compensated with 20,000 yuan, or around $3,080 after he was allegedly assaulted by a "foreign" Apple store employee. Wencheng told the Global Times he was lining up for a white iPhone 4, a product that had been released the week prior.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether others involved in the incident were also given compensation.
In a statement mirroring what was offered to the Associated Press over the weekend, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu told the Agence France-Presse that "the store team acted to protect themselves and our customers by closing the doors and preventing the group from entering," and that "the safety of our customers and employees is our top priority."
The iPad 2 continues to be in short supply, even in the U.S. where it was first launched back in early March. Since then it's gone on sale in more than 40 additional countries, including China, where it made its debut last week. During the company's most recent quarterly earnings call, Apple COO Tim Cook referred to the task of bringing supply up to demand for the device as "the mother of all backlogs."